Freight or cattle car.



J. B. SHELTON.

FHEiGHT 0R CATTLE GAR.

APPLICATION ULEB DLC. l1, w11.

Ggdqg v Patented Ap1.28,19l4.

2 SHEETS-SHEET /Ho/o 1 N we, N1 rn i r i l Y i (wineweo t 7 0 M J. B. SHELTON.

FREIGHT 0R CATTLE GAR.

APPLwATloN rum 11120.11, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN BELLSHELTON, 0F EDSON, ALERTA,

CNADA, ASSIIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF, TO

- PETER DAVID, 0F TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

FREIGHT 0R A CATTLE CAR.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN BELL SHELTON, citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Edson, county of Edmonton, Province of Alrta, Dominion of Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Freight or Cattle Cars, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyinfr drawings, which form a. part of this speci ation.

My invention relates to an improvement in freight or cattle cars, Shown in the accompanying drawings and more part-icularly described in the following specification and claims.

`It is wcll known that in shipping berries or other small fruits that their weight when piled above each other often results in crushing or otherwise damaging a large proportion of the fruit making 'it unmarlcetable. It is also well known that in shipping small live stock, such as sheep or hogs, in the usual form of cattle car that thefull carrying capacity of the car is not taken advantage of, therefore one of the objects of this invention is to provide a refrigerator, cattle, or other freight carrying car with a movable platform or deck suspended from a. manu- Y ally rotatable shaft supported adjacent to its roof by suitable chains or cables passing over conveniently mounted pulleys, the arrangement being such that the platform may be lowered to divide the interior of the car on a horizontal plane, into two separate and distinct apartments, each of which is adaptcd for carrying small live stoek;-'the construction being such that the platform may be raised adjacent to the roof of the car hy manually rotating the supporting shaft thereby putting the car in condition for carrying cattle or ordinary freight as in the usual manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide grain doors hinged to the movable platform-the arrangement being such that one or bot-h dobrs may be lifted by raising the platform to permit of the discharge of the grain from under the doors, avoiding the usual practice of brca king the grain door in order to unload the cam-the construction being such that when not in use for carrying grain the doors may be swung up under the Specification of Letters Patent. Application tiled December 11, 1911.

:placed Patented Apr. 28, 19'14. serial no. essais.

poi-ted by suitable the way of the movable plat-form and su engaging devices out o freight carried below.

Another object of the, invention is to provide suit-able supporting'hooks on the underside of the movable platform from which may 'De suspended dressed meats, in order that by lowering the platform, the tendency of the car to be overturned when rounding curves due to the violent Swingin of the meat, may be avoided ;-it being we l known that refrigerator cars as now constructedwith the meat suspended from the ceilingare often derailed or overturned from this cause.

Another advantage is that the space above the platform from which the m'eat .-is suspended, may be able merchandise. Y

Other advantages and improvements will hereafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specication: Figure 1 is a plan view of 'a car with the roof removed to lmore clearly show the construction of the parts. Fig. 2 is a substantially central longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevationr with the parts broken away showing the means employed for rotating the Winding drum. Fig. 4 is a substantially central longitudinal vertical section of a modification showing a grain door attached to the movable platform and in dotted lines the door slightly raised to discharge the grain. Fig. 5 is a central cross-sectional view ofthe car shown in F ig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary substantially central longitudinal vertical section of a ear showing the platform provided with meat supporting hooks. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the supporting bracket secured to the carlines for supporting the winding drum. Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the bolts `and shaft illustrating the vertically movable platform and the vertical sheaves and connections for suspendin,cr the platform.

Referring now to the letters of reference upon the drawings: A- is a car.

B- is a movable platform suspended by chains C from the rotatable shaft D, in turn supported by the carlines E, or the shaft occupied by othenrjperishits may be journaled to the underside of the their way to the winding shaft D. Intermediate the chains C are chains C3 which have their respective ends connected to the platform B vand are led over sheaves C, thesechains forming limiting means for the lowering of the platform B. The winding 'shaft D is preferably made up of sections l which may be of tubular form, bolted together as indicated at fl. The end sections of the winding shaft D are provided with right and left hand screw shafts D2.

A F are traveling blocks to whichv are secured the end chains C.

G are guide rods spaced from the winding shaft D and projecting through apertures in the traveling blocks F,-the ends of the rods being supported in suit-able mem. bers of the ear frame. It will be obvious that the guide rods are employed to prevent the rotation of the blocks F when traveling along the screw-threaded portion of the v by winding shaft.

. H is a pinion mounted on the end of the i winding shaft D, in mesh with a train of gears H adapted to be manually operate the'hand Wheel H2.

I are brackets or other suitable supporting means secured to the frame of the car, upon which the movable platform B may rest and which,may be located at any point on the frame" to meet the requirements of the freight carried.

J are grain doors hinged at j to the underside of the movable platform B, as indicated in-Figs. 4 and 5 at jf These doors may be detached from the platform by removing the hinge pintle j* or the nuts 7","--the platform may then be raised leaving the doors in position to close the opening into the ca r.

j are suitable engaging devices carried by the movable platformadapted to support the grain doors beneath the platform when not in use. The movable platform may if desired be provided wit-h a central opening closed by a suitable trap door J through which the lower compartment of the car may be loaded. Attached to the underside of the movable platform are a plurality of meat supporting hooks K from which dressed hogs or other meat may be suspended, as shown in Fig. 6.

Having Vindicated the several parts by reference letters, the construction and operation of my invention will be readily understood. Vhen it is desired to use the car as an ordinary freight, cattle= or refrigerator car, the platform may be raised adjacent to the underside of the roof of the car by man ually-operat-ingthe hand wheel H2. If desired suitable engagingdevices maybe provided to secure the platform inits elevated position; these, however, are' not shown as I havenot `found them essential. Assuming the device employed inconnection with a' stock car adapted for Carrying cattle', and it is desired lto haul small stock, the platform may be loweredto the position indicated in Fig. 2; stock may then be carried on each deck. IVhen used in connection with an ordinary box car, the platform may be lowered and different 'classes of freight loaded on each platfo1ni,-tl\is arrangement will be 'found of particular advantage in shipping household furniture. 'When it is desired to use the box car to carry grain, the grain doors may be released and swung into position as indicated in Figs. 4t and 5, the car be ing loaded in the usual way,through`the trap door J', or thedoors may be swung into position and disconnected from the platform which may then be raised and the car filled, the grain entering above the doors and below the platform. The platform may then be lowered and the grain doors rengaged thereto. Yhen it is desired to unload the car, one or bot-h of the doo-rs may be raised (allowing the grain to be discharged below the grain doors) by manually operating the hand wheel II?, as will be readily understood. It will be apparent that my improvement is of especial advantage in carrying small fruit` or other perishable property as the freight lnay be placed on the different platforms thus relievingthc goods below of e.\- cess weight due ,to being piled one on the other, as is necessary in freight cars as ordinarily constructed.

It is well knowii that in carrying dressed meats in refrigerator cars, when the meat is suspended in the usual way from hooks secured to the ceiling of the car, that upon rounding curves the meat will swing from side to side which frequently results in the overturning of the car. By attaching the hooks to thc underside of` the movable'platform, the platform may be lowered overcoming this tendency while the space above the platform may be occupied by other food products. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a carVv of the character described, a movable platform, a winding shaft provided with a right and left' hand screwthreaded portion, traveling blocks respectively engaging said screw-threaded Y portions, suitable sheaves for carrying a exible element, a liexibleelement engaged to the platform and adapted to pass over the sheaves and connected with the traveling blocks, and means for rotating the winding shaft whereby the traveling blocks may be operated and the platform raised orlowered.

2. In a car of the character described, an adjustable platform, grain doors hinged to said platform, and means for raising and lowering said platform.

V3. In combination, a car bodyA having a. door opening therein, a platform mounted for vertical `movement within said car body,

means to move said platform vertically7 suspending means carrying the platform, and a door hinged t0 the platform and adapted to cloac said openine.

4. In a car of the character deaeribed, an adjustable platform, meat. supporting hooks carried by said platform, and mean for raisingr and lowering said platform so that the meat Suspended from said hooks may be so positioned as to prevent swayingr of the meat.

5. In a ear of the eharaeter deseribed, a winding shaft journaled in the ear, a plat: form havingr connection with said shaft, means whereby the shaft may be rotated to adjustthe platform, a trap door fornied in the platform, and grain doors haring;r de,- taehable hinged connection with the platform.

6. In a ear of the eharaeter deaeribed, a

shaft, a platform, flexible elements eonneeted to the platform and to the shaft, means for rotating the shaft to take up and let out said chains so as to raise and lower the platform, means for holding the platform in adjusted positions: `grain doors liingedly connected to the platform so that they may be, swung upwardly against the under `side of the platform, means engageable with said doors to Sustain them against the under side of the platform whereby the doors may be held austained against the plat torn'` during adjustment of the latter, the hinge pint'les of the hinged Connections between the doors and the platform being removable so that the platform may be raise'l and lowered without raising and lowering the doors.

T. In a ear of the eharaeter described. an adjustable platform, detaehahle `grain dooY hinged to the platform, means for supporting said 4grain doors adjacent to the underside of the platform when not in use, and means for raising and loweringr aid plat4 form.

S. In a ear of the eharater dexeribed. au adjustable platforml` a winding Shaft. provided with right and left hand .wrenthreaded portions, traveling' lil/elta4 mount ed on said laerew-threaded portionsl of the winding shaft. ehain engaging .Quid t|':\eting hlm-lcs and eonneeted with the, plat form. and means for rotating Said Shaft, wllerelu the platform n|a.\Y be raised or lowered.

ln te tiinoiriv whereof l sign this #peritieation in the pres-eure of two witnesses.

JOHN BELL SHICIATON.

\V i tnesses z, i

JOHN H. Gmoos, MARIE Ioma ADAMS. J 

